Spain team defeated yesterday Great Brittain in the exciting "European Derby" at the Netherlands group, passing to 2-4 in the second round. With the results of the group, Spain has still a chance to get the milestone of passing to the Final Round.
This amazing result needs the win today (20 sept) against South Korea (the Koreans also need the win to pass forward), and Puerto Rico to win against Nicaragua.
The final score on great Rotterdam stadium was 10-3, but the game was a thrilling tie 3-3 at the end of 7th inning. Then La Roja passed over brittains, with a powerfull end-of-game innings, scoring 2 runs in 8th and 5 runs in 9th to clarify a tough game against GB.
The starting pitcher was Eric Gonzalez (6 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 0 BB, 5 SO), who kept the Britain’s in 1 run up to 6th, something uneasy bearing in mind the level of British players, almost all of them playing at USA.
Spain scored in the first inning: Daniel Figueroa was hit by pitch, Febles singled to infield. Paco Figueroa bunted for sacrifice and Navarro put the fly ball on the outfield, getting a RBI sacrifice fly.
A new run was scored in 3rd: leadoff hitter Daniel Figueroa tripled to center, and scored on a passed ball. But Great Britain shortened the score, scoring their first run with a double by Malihoudis and a RBI single by Whitehead.
Next 3 innings were a great pitchers duel: while Eric Gonzalez managed to stop runs’ production, Tomas Boleska (relieved in 6th) and Stephen Spragg also controlled the power of the red batters.
Until 6th inning, British team had not responded, having struck only two base hits in the first six innings.
But the last third of the game was excellent for team Spain, scoring a run for 3-1 run: Paco Figueroa was hit by pitch, Luis Perez walked and Navarro, with a sacrifice hit advanced his teammates. Then Riera was intentionally walked, and Domero got a RBI fielder’s choice. When more runs were ready, Spragg was excellent getting 2 strike outs in a row.
The game was not closed yet at all, especially when Eric Gonzalez started to enter in some problems, when allowed 2 runs after three consecutive hits. Then Mauro Mazzoti decided it was time to change: Rhiner Cruz entered the game and stopped effectively the Britain’s, in the key moment of the game. In fact, Cruz was the winning pitcher (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H), well relieved in 9th by Jorge Balboa (1 IP, 2 SO).
Opening 8h inning, with an exciting 3-3 in the scoreboard, Spain started to put the lead, with the help of their outstanding batters: Paco Figueroa hit a solo homerun; then Luis Perez reach base on an infield error, and great Dewis Navarro doubled to the left line sending home Perez: 3-5 on the score.
And “la fiesta” exploded in last inning when Spain built an unreachable break with 5 runs: Pycock relieved a tired Spragg on the mound, but he badly started with two walks for Daniel Sánchez and Néstor Perez. Daniel Martinez got an RBI single, and another RBI walk for frightening Daniel Figueroa (3-4 on this game). Then Cosworth replaced Pycock, but Febles received him with a RBI single to left field. And more, Paco Figueroa drove in 2 more runs with a single to middle infield. Last run was produced by a Dewis Navarro’s single to center.
The game was also decided, but Jorge Balboa put a beautiful end with 2 strike outs against the last two batters.
Spain produced a total of 13 hits (3 by Paco Figueroa, 2 for Febles, Navarro and Martinez), and a perfect defence also helped in the victory. In the other hand, Great Britain only got 5, with 1 error.
Don´t miss this box score
